Water-closet seat.



F. W. BAMFORD.

WATER CLOSET SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1912.

1,093,373., Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1. V

A TTOR/VEV P. W. BAMFORD.

WATER CLOSET SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4, 1912.

1,093,373. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

4 3SHEETS-SHEBT2.

WITNESSES:

,4 TTORIVEY QM W F. W. BAMPORD.

WATER CLOSET SEAT.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.4,1912.

SSHEETSr-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES: IIVVENTOR A TTUR/VEY FRANK W. BAMFORD,

or rnnnron, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO :ronu rmnnoox & SONS, A conroRArIoN or NEW JERSEY.

WATEIHJLOSET SEAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apple, lam.

Application filed January 4, 1912; Serial no. 659,366.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK W. BAMFORD,

a citizen of the United States of America, re

siding at Trenton, county of Mercer, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVater-Closet Seats, of which the following is a specification.

It is well understood that it is highly important to keep the seats of water closets clean and free from impregnation of gases or liquids. The ordinary wooden seat does not show dirt and can be saturated with liquids or gases. It has been proposed to make these seats of earthenware, such as porcelain, in one piece with the rest of the bowl and siphon passageways constituting the usual water closet structure, but the difficulty is that they have been too heavy andawkward and arecold to the touch. I have invented a form of detachable seat which overcomes these difiiculties and will enable porcelain orother earthenware to be used in the manufacture of seats of the usual form which will be acceptable to the trade and the public.

The best form of apparatus at present known to me embodying my invention is shown in the accompanying three sheets of drawing in which,

Figure 1 isaperspective view of a water closet seat made in accordance with my .invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section .online 22 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a-bottom plan view. Fig. 415 a cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modification. Fig. 6 is a detail cross section on line 66 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a cross section on line 77 of Fig. 5.

' Throughout the drawings like reference character's indicate like parts.

" Fig.2, and with comparatively thin walls.

In cross section the lower wall 2 is preferably flat, and the upper and side walls arched over, as shown at 3. The arched outline of the upper wall permits it to be made somewhat thinner than the lower flat wall, as shown in the drawing. This gives strength to resist downward compression, while the lightness of the structure is preservedfand its heat abstracting power reduced. Preferably the top wall is. formed into a rib 4, toward the back of the seat.

5, 5, are holes through which bolts or other fastening means may extend to the bin es, not shown, fastening the seat in position, and 6, 6, are holes in which small rubber cushions may be set. V

7, 7, are openings to the interior of the seat structure through which air may circulate into the hollow interior. These 0 enings may be dispensed with in the orm shown in Figs. 1 and 3. In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, however, the openings 7, 7, also serve as means for inserting the hinge bolts, 8, thus reducing the number of hinge elements necessary to be used and the area of metal hinge elements exposed to action of moisture and gases.

The hollow construction above described reduces the weight of a seat made in accordance with my invention to that of a hardwood seat. It also reduces the liability to fracture from expansion and contraction and unbalanced internal strains. The arched cross section gives the maximum resistance to compression with the minimum consumption of material.

.The air circulating through the interior by way of openings 7 7, quickly brings the structure to room temperature. The use of thin walls and a small quantity of material reduces the heat absorbing capacity of'the structure. and so reduces that effect of coldness to the touch which renders a solid porcelain seat so unpopular. As a further means of reducing the heat abstracting properties of a seat made entirely of porcelain, I

may insert on the upper and inner surface of the seat a lining of non-heat conducting material such as indurated fiber, gutta percha, celluloid or equivalent'material. In Fig. 1, I have indicated a ring 9 of such material overlaid on a'portion of the seat, leaving the porcelain exposed at the front portion 10, while in Figs. 5 and 7, I have shown a band 11 of such material inset-all the way around the seat. The advantage of the first construction is that the non-conducting material coversonly that portion of the seat most intimately in contact with the person of the user, while the front portion which is most likely to be soiled retains its sanitary surface of porcelain. If indurated .fiber 'or other material passing through a pulp stage in manufacture is used, it may be applied in pulp form at the time the glaze is added to other portions of the structure, and the two materials baked on'at one operation.

Among other advantages of my invention may be mentioned its surface smoothness, pure, white color, perfectly sanitary character and indestructibility so far as decay, moisture, or any other sources of deterioration are concerned. A seat of this character harmonizes perfectly with the other fittings of a modern tiled bath room This effect may be preserved when a non-conducting lining is applied by using celluloid or other.

white material.

Having, therefore, described my invention, I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a detachable earthenware seat adapted to be hinged to a water closet structure, said seat being made hollow with walls comparatively thin to form a passageway throughout the tachable porcelain seat adapted to be hinged to a water closet structure, said seat being hollow and having in cross section a flat bottom wall and thin top and side walls of approximately arch shape, provided with openings at the rear connecting the internal passageway with the external atmosphere, and with openings through the bottom adapted to receive suitable bumpers.

FRANK W. BAMFOR-D,

Witnesses: A. PARKER-SMITH, M. G. CRAWFORD. 

